Jaimi Ellison, owner of Santa Cruz Core Fitness, named Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

SANTA CRUZ -- Three and a half years of hard work is paying off for personal trainer Jaimi Ellison, with the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship naming her its 2013 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

A San Lorenzo Valley native and a UC Santa Cruz grad, Ellison will pick up the award in San Francisco on Saturday.

"She's smart enough to ask for help when she needs it," said Zahorsky, who has counseled her more than 50 times in the past two years. "She has an incredible passion for helping people but she never ran a business before."

Ellison joined Think Local First and four chambers of commerce and took advantage of YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for marketing.

Zahorsky provided advice on organization, delegation and managing people, advice Ellison took to heart to grow the business.

Her business has expanded to five employees and 20 independent contractors as the number of fitness sessions increased from 80 to 1,200 per month.

She made a habit of giving back to the community, donating $30,000 in cash and services to various causes. She's served as secretary of the Santa Cruz Triathlon Association for three years and her third anniversary party raised $2,500 for Second Harvest Food Bank.

She has been voted best personal trainer and best nutritionist for three years by readers of Santa Cruz Weekly and the Santa Cruz Good Times, and practitioners at her studio have been named best acupuncturist, best massage therapist and best personal trainer.

Clients say she's made a difference in their lives.

Paul Flood, 40, who manages a company in Santa Cruz, came in three years ago to get in shape and lose weight. He's gone from 290 to 180 pounds, cooking for himself and training two days a week.

"She coached me how to eat properly, how to exercise properly and how to shop properly," he said of Ellison. "It's a lifestyle change."

Aptos resident Deb Stanbra, 50, who has a demanding tech job and spends a lot of time sitting at the computer, has worked with Ellison for a year and lost 35 pounds.

"She had me at 'I won't make you give up ice cream completely,'" Stanbra said.

Stanbra trains with Ellison twice a week, takes Pilates a couple of times a month, and in between completes a customized workout at home.

"She keeps you accountable in a gentle way," Stanbra said. "In a year, I've never missed an appointment."

Ken Sapone, 50, who lives near Santa Cruz Core Fitness, stopped in soon after it opened. He wanted to lose a few pounds. Not only did he accomplish that goal, he also reached his target body mass index of 10 percent.

"I was hitting the jackpot," he said, appreciating the fact that he can work on fitness, see a chiropractor and get a massage all at the same location.

"We have to figure out what works for each person," Ellison said. "It isn't a formula. ... I love making other people successful."

Running the business took a toll on her own health as she went from being ultra-fit to becoming a compulsive eater, a challenge she overcame with counseling. The experience, she said, has given her more compassion for her clients.

She foresees an expansion into corporate wellness with the federal health care law taking effect in 2014. Last year, she provided training on body mechanics and lifting for Costco and hopes to work with other employers this year.

Santa Cruz SCORE chapter offers free advice from 25 local experts for small business owners. The local chapter was named chapter of the year in the San Francisco district two years in a row. For information, go to www.santacruzscore.org or call 831-621-3735.